The influence of organisational culture on leadership style in higher education institutions
| Pages | 709-732 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/PR-08-2018-0280 |
| Published date | 07 November 2019 |
| Date | 07 November 2019 |
| Author | Babatunde Akanji,Chima Mordi,Afam Ituma,Toyin Ajibade Adisa,Hakeem Ajonbadi |
| Subject Matter | HR & organizational behaviour,Global HRM |
The influence of organisational
culture on leadership style in
higher education institutions
Babatunde Akanji
Elizade University, Ilara-Mokin, Nigeria
Chima Mordi
Brunel University, London, UK
Afam Ituma
Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ikwo, Nigeria
Toyin Ajibade Adisa
Department of Business and Law, University of East London, London, UK, and
Hakeem Ajonbadi
Higher Colleges of Technology, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Abstract
Purpose –The purpose of this paper is to explore the impact of organisational culture (OC) on leadership
styles in Nigerian universities. The study utilises the cultural dimensions theory (Hofstede’s insights) and the
social exchange concept as theoretical lenses to examine the phenomena.
Design/methodology/approach –Using an exploratory qualitative approach, 40 interviews were
conducted with senior academics and non-teaching staff working in Nigerian universities.
Findings –The findings reveal hierarchical, patriarchal, servile, and interdependent values as the
underlying characteristics of organisation culture, shaping the choice of leadership styles in the management
of Nigerian universities. As a result, it emerged from the study that positional, formalised exchanges,
paternalism, relational approach and gendered reactions to leadership were typically adopted in university
administration in this context.
Research limitations/implications –The study relies on a small qualitative sample size, which makes the
generalisation of findings difficult. However, the study provides a good understanding of culturalhegemony,
framing leadership styles different from those of western cultures.
Originality/value –The findings of this study help to bridge the research gap concerning the implications
of OC, and its influence on leadership behaviours in the Sub-Saharan African context. Research within this
subfield in Africa is rare. Specifically, the study also enriches our understanding of cultural dimensions,
informing the leadership methods adopted in higher education institutions.
Keywords Qualitative, Organizational Culture, Nigerian universities, Social exchange, Leadership style,
Hofstede’s culture theory
Paper type Research paper
Introduction
Over the past three decades, there has been widespread scholarly interest in the
interrelationship between leadership and culture.Most recently, a wide arrayof topical issues,
such as global leadership (Jürgen, 2018), cross-culturalleadership (Stephan and Pathak, 2016)
and the impact of culture on leadership (Chong et al., 2018) have burgeoned. While these
studies havefurthered our understanding ofleadership theory and practice,research analysis
on the application of leadership theories acrosscultures considers that leadershipbehaviours
and practices are culture-bound (Alves et al., 2006). Significantly, what we know about the
nature of leadership in work organisations emanates mostly from research from the western
world, while there is a paucity of similar studies from developing countries in Sub-Saharan
Africa, where institutional and cultural systems differ from the West. According to Mullins
and Christy (2013), some of the cultural perceptions from the West appear around notions of
Personnel Review
Vol. 49 No. 3, 2020
pp. 709-732
© Emerald PublishingLimited
0048-3486
DOI 10.1108/PR-08-2018-0280
Received 1 August 2018
Revised 4 April 2019
3 July 2019
Accepted 4 August 2019
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:
www.emeraldinsight.com/0048-3486.htm
709
Influence of OC
on leadership
style
orderly Germans, shrewd Italians and assertive British workers. This situation gives rise to
questions concerning the portability of leadership constructs and concepts from the west
to non-western regions. In an attempt to fill this gap in the literature, this study seeks to
contextually explore the interconnection between organisational culture (OC) and leadership
styles basedon qualitative data drawnfrom Nigerian universities.By answering the following
research question,we contribute new insights intothis knowledge gap in understandingfrom
anon-westerncontext:
RQ1. What is the prevalent OC shaping leadership styles adopted in university
administration?
Broadly, “culture”is perceived as socially and generationally transferred. It consists of the
customary, value-related, traditional, religious and behavioural patterns of a particular set
of people and is known as the essential root of behaviour and it forms the components of
social order (Bulley et al., 2017). For instance, the culture in West African regions
(Ghana, Cameroun, Liberia, Benin, Nigeria, etc.) is often described as less egalitarian, more
religious, and more collectivist (Ferguson et al., 2008). Collectivists tend to promote
cooperation and social relations among groups of people (Hofstede, 1980). The study focuses
on Nigeria, the most populous black West African country, with almost 200 million people
spread across over 250 ethnic groups (Central Intelligence World Factbook, 2017). Nigerians
define themselves as members of a social group (i.e. collectivists). As such, strong ties to and
mandatory obligations concerning extended relationships are prioritised far above personal
achievements and aspirations among individualistic nations such as the US and UK
( Jackson, 2004). The institutionalisation of gender dominance also exists in Nigeria, as men
have been socialised to become breadwinners, while women are expected mainly to engage
in childcare duties and other domestic affairs (Mordi et al., 2013).
Other everyday traditional features of Nigeria include acceptance of hierarchy, gender
inequality and status differences, especially in the workplace (Ituma et al., 2011). This social
context is often perceived as providing the rationale for individual and organisational
behaviour in Nigeria (Adegboya, 2013). In other words, the macro-context has tendencies of
shaping OC (Sackman, 2006). In assessing the leadership situation, Nigeria is plagued with
various problems arising from political instability, a high degree of corruption, economic
instability, and weak governance undermining good leadership in the country (Dike, 2001).
Despite these socio-economic challenges confronting Nigeria, British colonialism has
strongly emphasised educational attainment in Nigeria (Ituma et al., 2011). Thus, this paper
seeks to provide insights into the cultural nuances and subtleties of how OC influences
leadership styles in Nigerian universities. In so doing, our study is organised as follows: the
second section presents perceptions of leadership styles and OC in the literature. This is
followed by a brief overview of the study context and the method used to collect and analyse
the empirical evidence. Thereafter, the results and discussion of the findings are presented.
The final section considers the conclusion, study implications, study limitations and areas
for future research.
Leadership perceptions
Over the past five decades, leadership has been a fertile area of research, evidenced by the
substantial academic and practitioners’literature on the topic (Clark et al., 2009). While there is
no agreeable definition of “leadership”in the literature, and diverse interpretations of the
construct space exist (Dickson et al., 2003), leadership may simply be described as a relationship
through which an individual or group of persons with authority influences the behaviour and
actions of others (Moorcroft, 2005). It also means getting others to follow (Mauri, 2017).
Therefore, leadership is incomplete without attention to followers (Hollander, 1980).
A significant theory for explaining the nature of the leadership relationship and its influences
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